Through another's eyes
by Meso the Hanyu
Summary: Okay, so this is a story with implied LingxRanfan. It's pretty much them coming home and if I tell you anymore I'd be giving the story away. Rated T for violince and cursing. *hiatus*
1. Chapter 1

Okay, a fic that isn't completely insane. This story has characters that are myself, as well as two of my friends and just plain old random people. So enjoy, and please comment, I need the self esteem.

Disclaimer: As stated, I don't own Fullmetal alchemist, and also as stated, if I did, I couldn't harass Ling all the time.

(*(*)*)

Pairs of eyes seemed to glow in the darkness that had shrouded Xing a few hours ago. The eyes came from a group of eight royal Xingese guards who where often sent to scout around towns near the Imperial palace at night.

The group was an odd bunch, there ages ranged from ten, the ten year-old being Mei-lee, a guard in training, to seventeen, this being the groups leader, Rin(a/n: I know that Rin can be translated to Ling, but ignore it). The members of the groups names, from youngest to oldest, where as follows: Mei-lee, Sheng, Changdong, Lihua, Buwei, Lou-bang, Lang and Rin.

All of them where dressed near the same, black pants and shirts with black jackets for the cold night. Loosely fitting black belts, black shoes, kunai knives and assorted grenades hanging from there belts. They all also wore the masks that all royal guards wore, each different than the others. They all also had black hair of assorted lengths. Most of them had almost black eyes, except Rin, whose eyes where green.

Rin made a hand signal and the guards tensed. Two where on either side of a doorway, backs pressed against the wall. On the right side of the doorway it was Lang and Rin. On the right it was Lou-bang and Buwei. The rest where perched on the roof.

They where outside of, what you could call a side palace. A smaller palace built specifically for Empress Yao. They where informed that one of her servants were a murderer. As he opened the door, the royal guards attacked all at once, easily overpowering the man. He quickly admitted to his plans to murder Empress Yao.

Rin pulled her mask off and tied it to her belt. "Good work, Lou-bang, Changdong, go make sure Empress Yao is all right." The two boys nodded and went inside while Sheng tied the man's wrists together. "Lihua, Buwei, Mei-lee, take this man away until his punishment is determined." The three girls nodded and led the man away. Lou-bang and Changdong came out a few minutes later. "The empress is fine, Rin." Lou-bang reported.

"Good, you and Changdong go report back to the palace, I want to go scout out the desert, Lang, you'll come with me." The three nodded and Lou-bang dashed off with Changdong. "Come on Lang." Rin ordered, her hair falling loosely around her shoulders. Lang nodded and removed his mask, making his short, ragged hair visible.

"Rin, why are we scouting the desert?" Lang asked as he ran alongside his friend. "I just have this feeling something odd is going to happen." Rin replied, looking almost sheepish.

Rin put out a hand and stopped Lang. "Hey, what wa-" Rin cut him off. "Shh! Someone's coming." Rin hissed, hearing the crunch of sand, the swish of cloth. /I wonder who it is?/ Rin thought as she stayed perfectly still, trying to see who it was.

All of a sudden, Lang and Rin felt a hand clamp over each of their mouths. "Mmumph!" Lang said in surprise, words undecipherable. "Who are you?" the voice was female.

Rin wriggled free from this persons grasp, Lang didn't have such luck. Rin glared at this person, dressed all in black, like Rin and Lang, with her hair pulled back in a loose bun. "You have no wright to attack royal guards!" Rin hissed, letting her fingers brush her mask as she reached for a kunai at her belt.

The girls eyes went wide and she released Lang, who immediately took a step back and joined Rin. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you where also guards." For the first time Rin noticed a royal guards mask hanging from this girls belt.

Rin sighed in relief and put the kunai away. "I am sorry as well, and sad to say that I don't think we have met. I am Rin, and this is Lang." they both bowed.

The girl returned the bow. "I'm Ranfan." She said. "Ranfan, where are you?" the voice was male. Rin raised an eyebrow and looked at Ranfan. "Over here, young master." Ranfan replied. "Where?" the voice asked.

Lang rolled his eyes and took a collapsible lantern from a pocket in his jacket and lit it with two flint stones.

Rin and Lang could now clearly see this person. He wore brightly colored clothing and his eyes where, well, squinty, but he had an imperial look to him.

"Hello" he said cheerfully "I'm Ling, Yao, 12th son of the emperor." Lang and Rin bowed stiffly.

"If it is all right, may we take you to the palace, we have to make sure that everything has been properly taken care of." Rin questioned.

"Alright, but what do you mean?" Ling asked. As the small group began heading for the palace, Rin and Lang began explaining, Ling didn't take the news of his mother nearly being assassinated well.

A/N: And so ends chapter one. I thought I came out well and so next time we see some interesting stuff. And just so that this works, let's say that Ling has been able to take control over his body, for now, and that the promised day is over, so he and Ranfan have gone home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two, wh00t! In case you'd like to know, Rin is based off me, Lang is based off my friend Carlie, and Mei-lee will eventually be based off my friend Stasia.

Disclaimer: Me no owny Fullmetal Alchemist-y.

(*(*)*)

"Ow." Lang groaned, rubbing the side of his head. "Did he have to hit us?" he whispered to Rin. "I don't know." Rin replied, ignoring the aching side of her head.

For whatever reason, Ling had hit both of them across the head after they had told him about the events prior to meeting him in the desert.

As they approached the palace, the rest of Rin's team of guards was neatly balanced onto the hand rails on either side of the stairs, like a flock of birds. The only one missing was Mei-lee, who poked her head up from beside the stairs, just out of sight. "Hey Rin, Lang! We've been waiting." The ten year old grinned.

Lou-bang rolled his eyes. "We reported in for you Rin, we all might be reassigned soon." He sighed, obviously disliking the prospect. "Not fun." Sheng shook his head, his normally happy expression sad, his whole body slumping.

"Hey, don't worry Sheng, everything will be fine." Lang said and half grinned. "Hey, who are they?" Changdong motioned to Ling and Ranfan.

"Oh! I forgot about them." Rin felt exceptionally embarrassed. Ling didn't seem to notice. "I am Ling Yao, 12th son of the emperor." The whole group managed to bow, even though they where standing on their toes on a railing.

"I think the emperor will want to talk to you tomorrow." Lihua murmured. "He's feeling worse than usual today."

"Fine." Ling looked put out. Then a shriek was heard inside. "It's your turn, Rin." Lang groaned. Rin nodded and slipped inside, Ling looked at Ranfan, she nodded and scurried after Rin.

Rin made her way to the kitchen where the chef, a girl, was balanced onto a stool. "What's wrong?" Rin sighed while Ranfan entered. "Mouse!" the chef screamed. Rin sighed and listened for a moment with a kunai in her hand.

Sensing the mouse's moving Kii (a/n: or however you spell it), she struck out where she figured the mouse would be. Hit. "Thank you Rin." The chef whimpered. "Please tell the others that dinner is ready."

"Did someone say diner?" Buwei poked her head in, followed by the rest of the group. "Yes, you're late though because of your patrol so I'm out of soup." The chef passed out bowls of rice.

Everyone began fighting with each other for any leftovers, growling like a pack of dogs. Ling entered. "What the?"

"Allow me to explain, you've been gone a while and everything has changed. Gauds are now only given a single meal a day and are fed in here while their masters eat in the banquet hall." Lang explained quickly. Ling blinked.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" the chef quickly led the very confused Ling away, probably to feed him some fancy royal food. "Here." Rin handed Ranfan her bowl of rice, seeing there was no more.

"But-" Ranfan tried protesting. "Look, I'll be fine, I've gone with out food plenty longer than a day." Rin smiled. "A-alright." Ranfan stuttered and ate slowly while Lang practically inhaled his rice.

"Has anything else changed?" Ranfan asked once she finished her rice. "Yes." Rin nodded. "Guards sleep away from their masters and a different guard guards the sleeping master."

Ranfan went pale. "You alright?" the oblivious Lang asked, Rin elbowed him in the rib cage. "Ow!"

The chef quickly collected the bowl so she could wash them. Changdong yawned. "I'm going to bed." He mumbled, everyone nodded agreement and followed, but where stopped by an important looking man standing in the doorway.

"Ranfan" he addressed her, Ranfan was still standing near the door Ling had been led into. "You will get a good nights sleep and Lihua and Buwei will guard Ling." The man instructed. He left, Lihua and Buwei following, obviously Ling was already in his room.

"Come on, the only spare beds are Lihua and Buwei's." Mei-lee said and grabbed Ranfan's hand, determined to lead the unwilling guard away. Lou-bang chuckled.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Rin muttered before leaving, the rest of the group following.

The room where they slept was very simple. White washed walls and plain stone flooring. Placed next to the walls where bed rolls. Each person went to their own and unrolled their uncomfortable bamboo mat; rolled inside each mat was a blanket and very thin pillow. They all set up their beds, Land and Rin's on either side of the door with the others arranged by the two walls. The far wall held a single bed, already made up though no one would sleep in it.

"You can take Buwei's mat." Mei-lee yawned and everyone prepared for bed, taking off and folding their light jackets, placing their belts on top of them with their shoes next to them. Those that tied back their hair where putting whatever they use next to their belts.

Rin groaned, she had lost the piece of chard rope she used to tie back her hair. "Here." Lou-bang passed the charred and blackened rope to a grateful Rin, he had found it earlier.

"Night." Sheng mumbled and lay down on top ob his blanket, everyone did the same and Rin blew out all the candles that lit the room. Most everyone was soon asleep.

They where up before dawn, clipping on their shoes and belts, checking to see they had all their weapons. "Come on; time to get Luhua and Buwei." Rin mumbled and slipped out the door. She came back several minutes later with the two girls.

"Patrol time?" Sheng asked. Lang nodded. "You want to come Ranfan?" Lang asked.

A/N: I quite like this chapter, what do you think Ling?

Ling: I don't know, Rate and review *sigh*


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